I received a very devastating PM last night stating that the owner of one of my joeys had just found her dead in her pouch She had been eating and playing like normal and I had gotten a vet check/health certificate on her just one week before. Upon further inspection she found an empty water bottle. . . . In less than 20 hours without water, my baby got dehydrated and died She was only 9 weeks old
PLEASE PLEASE!! Check your water bottles every single night. Another good solution is to have 2 water bottles in the cage in case one of the breaks/leaks/goes empty. What I do is I have a food dish directly below the water bottle, so that if it would leak empty the food dish would catch enough water for them to drink until I discover the problem.
My joey is having a necropsy and if it proves to be that something else caused the death, then I am sorry, but right now this seems like the only cause of death. And NO MATTER WHAT the results are ALL WATER BOTTLES SHOULD BE CHECKED EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!!!
R.I.P Maliha 7/8/07-9/7/07
Last edited by Lynsie; 09/08/0703:32 PM. Reason: added pic
Oh Lynsie, I am so very sorry. This is the reason I always keep two (at least) on each cage. And good idea about the cup underneath (If that is possible). Please pass my condolences on to her new owners. I can only imagine this must be devastating for them, as well. Godspeed little angel Maliha.....
I have to check mine all the time because my girls like to shove peas in thiers... They've stopped it up several times so far but they always bark when they do... "Mom, I can't get water... I don't know why! There's only a pea shoved in there!" I can't tell you how many times I've had to get up at 4am because they're barking at me.
It can be dangerous. I'm going to get extra bottles for both cages this weekend. I think the dish under it is a good idea too. If only I could keep Bird from playing in his dishes...
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: ]
#379199 09/08/0703:43 PM09/08/0703:43 PM
I have the ebay cages, so I secure thier bottles directly above one of the dishes that slide into the door. I also check my bottles every night and every morning. So far I have only had a couple of bottles leak and thankfully the water poured into the food dish below so they had something to drink.
We have lost more gliders to dehydration than we ever should of, it's just devastating. . .
PLEASE, PLEASE make sure that your cages have a good water supply EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! It takes less than 24 hours w/o water for a glider to dehydrate and that is with having food. The owner had fed her P's diet and melon that night but it was not enough for her little energetic body.
I never use water bottles. I keep a bowl of water that gets changed out everyday when we pull our food bowls out. I can't imagine how terrible I would feel if I accidentally let one of my kids die of thirst. OMG I', so sorry.
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEASE!!!
[Re: Lynsie]
#379214 09/08/0704:25 PM09/08/0704:25 PM
This was our sweet girl. I am still in shock. Until the necropsy comes back, I can only assume she became dehydrated. After finding her dead in her pouch last night, I checked the cage over, only to discover that her water bottle was empty. What is killing me is that I always keep 2 water bottles in each cage. I only had one water bottle left when I set her cage up on Monday and I figured it would be fine until I picked up more bottles this weekend. A year and a half ago, I had the ball in a bottle get jammed and almost lost an entire colony. That was when I started using 2 bottles. I have never had another issue with a water bottle since then. I had changed her water Thurs. night, like I did every night. There hadn't been anything wrong with the bottle. I know it wasn't leaking when I put it back. When she started drinking, the ball must have lodged and started leaking. I have no idea how long it took to empty. I checked the glider room yesterday morning. I can't tell if a water bottle is full or empty unless I shake it, which I did not do. I assumed that it was full. I use black fleece in the drop trays, so I didn't notice a puddle of water it the tray.
Checking the bottles in NOT enough! I fill all the water bottles each night. This didn't happen because I had water bottles hanging that weren't checked. There does need to be a backup plan in case a water bottle malfunctions during the night. I do like the idea of keeping the bottle over a dish even better than using 2 water bottles.
I am still in shock. Having gliders for over 5 years, I have only had one other death. That was a rescue that I took in with giardia. We lost her 6 hours after taking her to the vet. What is so sickening with this tragedy is that it could have and should have been prevented.
Please have a backup source of water in your cages!!!
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEASE!!!
[Re: Lynsie]
#379216 09/08/0704:26 PM09/08/0704:26 PM
I can't tell if a water bottle is full or empty unless I shake it, which I did not do.
This was such a tragic loss. I have been sobbing since I heard. Dylan, Maliha's brother, is my pride and joy. I love all my gliders, but he is so sweet, so VERY well (excessively) socialized. It is clear these babies were raised with love, and I feel blessed to have him in my home. Your loss is horrible, Stacie. I had to go get Dylan and give him kisses.
It is difficult to see in this picture, but they all have a little "toy" in the bottle - either a duck or a turtle - which floats on the water's surface. I can tell with a glance exactly where the water level is.
Alden "Animals can communicate quite well. And they do. And generally speaking, they are ignored." Alice Walker
Mom to Valhalla; 6 cats; 1 macaw; 2 hedgehogs; and very many great gliders!
(plus the 2 skin kids) valkyriegliders.com
Kyrie, nothing will ever fill the hole you left in my heart.
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: ValkyrieMome]
#379226 09/08/0704:44 PM09/08/0704:44 PM
Alden! BE CAREFUL with those bottles!! I threw 2 of them out because they got stopped up!
It's a catch 22 with water bottles, the ones with the springs get stopped up easily and the ones without will leak!
Stacey, I'm so sorry you lost your baby!
There are no words that will help you much right now but know we are all here for you!
Keeper of Handprints on my Heart, You left your Footprints on my soul. My precious loves that left to quickly, Peanut, Katie Isabella, Kiwi, Bonnie and Monroe.
Spread your wings and glide free of pain, Until the day I see you again.
God speed my precious angels. I love you. Mama.
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: SugarBlossoms]
#379234 09/08/0705:00 PM09/08/0705:00 PM
I have one of the ducky ones and it leaks. The wal-mart ones leak. The critter canteen's are good but you can't see through them. The glass lixit's are good so far. I haven't tried any of the other water options.
how sad.... I check the water bottles every night when they feed them and have had to replace a couple of bottles that I've caught leaking... I like to keep extra just in case.... she was very pretty...
Oh my gosh...she was gorgeous! I'm so very sorry for both of you! Just another tragic reminder to always double check.
Cindy Mom to Jae, Ashton, Briannah, Nevaeh & Addy & all my fuzzies! Breeder of Leu's, Mosaics, wfb, and standard grey's. Owner of www.MySugarAddiction.com
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: GliderLove]
#379250 09/08/0705:39 PM09/08/0705:39 PM
I have 4 glass Lixit's and wouldnt have anything else for my girls. Before I purchased the Lixit's - I had a Walmart bottle that leaked empty. Thank God it happened when I was home from work. I immediately went online and searched for a better bottle for them. That was a year ago. The glass Lixit bottle is the Stealth of the bottle world as far as Im concerned. BUT - I still check them everyday!
Hope you are ordering glass Lixit's for your store, Lynsie.
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: ]
#379262 09/08/0705:53 PM09/08/0705:53 PM
You can order the finest and the best water bottle you can find but nothing beats a dish that you have to fill up everyday. You put food dishes in everyday why not water dishes.
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: Carrie T]
#379263 09/08/0705:56 PM09/08/0705:56 PM
I don't like food dishes because the water can get dirty and bacteria can grow easier.
I just ordered some 16oz glass lixit bottles for my store, they should be here in a week or so. I didn't order too many to start off with, but I can always get more.
Where do you get lixit bottles. Right now I have a cheap water bottle with a bowl also because my babies had been taught to use the bowls not the bottle. Maybe I should look at getting one of those lixit bottles. Last night I was watching my babies and one was drinking from the bottle and it appeared to have caught on her tongue. She was not pleased but after my once over I didn't see blood luckily so I have taken that bottle out.
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: ]
#379270 09/08/0706:15 PM09/08/0706:15 PM
I buy mine from Klubertanz, but to just order water bottles the shipping is kinda high. I will have them in my store in a week or two. That is the only place I know to get them, but I am pretty sure you can get them at petstores or online somewhere, but they are usually like $15. I will probably sell mine for $10 or less.
Ever since Wiggles learned to jam things in their water bottle (food, mealies, the corners of fleece blankets), I've gotten in the habit of checking their bottles 4-5 times a day. Yes, it may be excessive, but I don't want them to have an empty bottle ever!
Stacie, I am SO sorry....I held this little girl for many, many hours while she was just growing up .
I keep my dish of water up high on a shelf so it doesn't get *food* dirty, and change it when I serve dinner nightly. My biggest fear is the cup getting knocked over in the night, but the ones I use are really heavy and so far, no spills.
Uggggg, this is so sad.
Karin
Miss Lily and Bud Prada and Armani Tessa, Deuce and Cami
I am so sorry for your loss Lynsie and Stacie. I can only imagine how you're feeling right now. I really want to share what I do with my gliders. It may seem excessive to some, but I have 3 water sources in each cage.
The 2nd is a water bottle that NEVER leaks, stops up, or have ANY problems. I've used this for 2 years and I love it. (I only use the extras as a precaution and because Cerulean can't or won't drink from these without me moving the stem for her) My other 3 gliders drink just fine from them though. http://www.agselect.com/ED/showdetl.cfm?&DID=11&Product_ID=918&CATID=30
"My doctrine is this: that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and we do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt." ~ Anna Sewell, English Novelist
Re: CHECK YOUR WATER BOTTLES EVERY NIGHT!!!! PLEAS
[Re: ]
#379279 09/08/0706:29 PM09/08/0706:29 PM
I am very sorry to Lynsie and Stacie. Maliha will be missed by all what a pretty girl.
It sure is going to make me add an extra cup under the bottles tonight. I think I am going to place a small dish like this under the nozzle. It will hold enough water to drink if the bottle leaks yet I do not think they can get into it to cause any problems.